


Aake Won't Be Fooled

by deutschistklasse



Series: Salvage Universe [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Inspired by Fanfiction, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22332199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deutschistklasse/pseuds/deutschistklasse
Summary: Aake's POV on the prince of the Fire Nation. He keeps hoping all would end well.
Series: Salvage Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905865
Comments: 43
Kudos: 2017
Collections: Zuko and The Water Tribe, avatar tingz





	Aake Won't Be Fooled

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Salvage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116591) by [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/pseuds/MuffinLance). 



> I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and Aake is MuffinLance's character in Salvage. I just like him enough to write my interpretation of him.

Aake knew his place in the world. He was Water Tribe, a warrior, a trusted member of the crew on his Chief’s ship, somebody who killed Fire Nation soldiers in order to end the war. When they fished that young firebender out of the ocean, he was prepared to end his life with his sword. He would have made it quick, he wasn’t a monster like them. After the ash maker introduced himself as Ozai’s spawn and the Chief sent him to the healer, he was hoping that the prince would just die from hypothermia. It would have been simpler and quieter.

Healer Kustaa kept forcing the crew to cuddle with their prisoner. Aake was ready to strangle both of them. That badger-viper was a menace even unconscious. His elbows were sharp and the hits were precise. Yes, that thing was a trained soldier, all right. When Chief Hakoda came to relieve him of babysitting duty he lingered waiting for the inevitable show. After what he suffered from that half dead but still fighting ice cube, it was time he was treated to some entertainment. Not being on the receiving end of those elbows and seeing Hakoda’s struggle with the prince made every move funnier. He was still grinning in memory of it and also hoping Ozai’s son doesn’t make it. Aake trusted the Chief with his life but he knew they don’t have the means to retain a firebender.

That ash maker was proving to be a headache. How was he escaping half asleep and feverish? When first found under a tarp on the deck, Aake tried to discourage him of this foolishness but the prince didn’t even had the decency to stay awake for his beating. The second time he was ready. After he got over the shock of seeing their prisoner scaling the walls of the ship, he grabbed the young menace and held him fast. He was thinking on solving the problem of these escape attempts and on the danger the firebender presented to the crew, coming to the only logical conclusion: he must be crippled. A win-win situation. Ozai’s offspring would be alive but in a more manageable condition. Of course, when he voiced his suggestion to the Chief, the boy took offence. He tried to fight them and to Aake’s shame he was capable of escaping his hold and making them scramble to recapture him. But he was sick and tired and he didn’t had a chance against them. That was when he tried to firebend and Aake saw red. He knew that leaving that badger-viper alive would bite them in the blubber. He pinned the prisoner down and hoped that Hakoda would see reason. 

That nightmare of a prince escaped again! They looked for him everywhere until Toklo found him on the main mast. The nerve of that ash maker! Aake feared he would light the mast on fire but the Chief convinced him somehow to climb down. He was waiting for the prince to set foot on the deck and he was ready to act but the ship’s dog was faster. What happened afterwards drew a surprised laugh out of him. Ozai’s spawn fought off their entire crew but was afraid of a little animal. And then he had to hide a flinch at the speed the little menace slid off the mast. Hakoda took him to his cabin and Aake remained where he was, hoping the Chief knew what he was doing. 

Chief Hakoda ordered the little troublemaker to sleep in the crew’s cabin and the crew to keep an eye on him. Aake knew he won’t be able to rest with that ash maker so close to him so he stayed awake. This made him the next day extra annoyed and itching for a fight. When the firebender refused to do his chores right and even kicked the bucket at Aake he reacted. Beating the arrogant prince was very satisfying. He wanted to take His Highness down a peg since that morning. The young soldier was trying to show them how much he despised them by not accepting their help and their food. At sundown he was close to maim him permanently. That night the firebender kept him awake with his nightmares. Aake was not amused. He hoped they would get rid of the prince soon.

That monster kept breathing fire on the deck! Aake hauled him over to the Chief and he was satisfied to know that the prince would be punished. Doing laundry was awful. Toklo and Panuk kept whining about it but this time they just shut up. Then he heard it: they were having the time of their life. The prince kept bending and even Chief Hakoda approved of it. Had they lost their mind? That badger-viper was dangerous. He was maybe sixteen but it didn’t meant he was less cunning and nasty. Aake wasn’t fooled by his act. When the prince kept going for food he was hoping he would just choke on it. That night the menace had another nightmare. Aake hated his life.

His Highness converted their youngest crewmen and the birds to his side. Some of the crew was contemplating his apparent shouty kindness. At least the dog resisted his attempts at making friends. Good boy, Aake would give him extra food tonight. He made sure to keep an eye on the Fire Nation youth, hurting their dog would be easy for him. But that didn’t happened. What happened was the continued baffling behaviour and a visit from an Earth Kingdom ship. 

He was guarding the prince with Ranalok and the isopup. He thought that they saw the young soldier like him, but he was wrong, Ozai’s son persuaded them about his helplessness too. That night he advised their Chief to give the prince to the Earth Kingdom. Could nobody see that he just bid his time? He was waiting to win their trust and then he would strike. Even if said ash maker at the moment was cuddling and having a heart-to-heart with a dog what made him look like a real teenager. Aake ordered him to bed and watched the boy take the pup with him. That show didn’t made him confused or uneasy. No, it didn’t. And if he was careful not to wake the tired kid, it was just basic decency, after all it was the first night when he didn't had a nightmare. He hoped all this would end soon.

Aake watched the young firebender playing fetch with the Chief’s dog. Then watched him crumble and panic and practically beg under the knowledge that Chief Hakoda was selling him to the Earth Kingdom. Then watched him sag in relief knowing he would remain on the Water Tribe’s ship. Then watched that ridiculous child make a fool of himself in front of the entire crew. Then thought about what was said and why that disturbed him. Why was that kid thinking the Chief would be so cruel to his son? Then he berated himself for almost falling in prince Zuko’s trap. No way that the Fire Lord's heir would be so endearingly awkward. He had to keep his eyes open. Aake just wished he could be more sure in his place in the world.


End file.
